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Berlin
Food / Art / Bookstore / Bar
A Century of Dance
Clärchens Ballhaus
A Legacy Begins
In 1913, Fritz Bühler and his wife Clara “Clärchen” Bühler lit the lights on the first floor of the rear building at Auguststraße 24/25, opening what was then called Bühlers Ballhaus. Clara, the soul of the ballroom, lent her nickname to the place, and soon it became affectionately known as Clärchens. After Fritz’s passing, Clara ran the ballroom alone for over half a century until her death in 1971—a rare example of a strong female entrepreneur in her era.
From its earliest days, Clärchens has been more than a dance floor. After the First World War, with many men lost to the conflict, the ballroom hosted “widows’ dances,” offering solace and companionship. Under Nazi rule, political repression and restrictions on music forced parts of the ballroom to serve as officer lounges, while the lower dance floor was used for knitting circles and paused dances.
Through the decades, fire and war reshaped Berlin. The front and side buildings on Auguststraße 24 were destroyed during World War II, leaving only an empty lot and wild grass, but the rear ballroom survived almost miraculously, albeit marked by bullet holes and the scars of history. Today, Clärchens Ballhaus remains the only surviving ballroom of over nine hundred in the city. Even during the East German era (GDR), it was one of the few privately operated dance halls, still drawing people eager to dance, socialize, and find joy amid the surrounding indifference.
A Space of Resilience
Standing today at Auguststraße 24, the rear building remains unadorned, its blackened walls bearing the marks of history. Due to wear from decades of dancing, the original ground-floor ballroom was moved in 2019 to the second-floor Mirror Hall, while the old space became a restaurant. In the mirrored, revolving room above, Swing, Tango, Salsa—all dances continue to whisper fragile hope: the body may perish, but life itself cannot be defeated. Dance here has become a form of resistance: against forgetting, against the passage of time, against the forces that render life small. Clärchens Ballhaus holds countless personal histories—Berliners who have danced here from childhood to old age, lovers who first met on its floor, friends reunited, couples bound for life.
Standing today at Auguststraße 24, the rear building remains unadorned, its blackened walls bearing the marks of history. Due to wear from decades of dancing, the original ground-floor ballroom was moved in 2019 to the second-floor Mirror Hall, while the old space became a restaurant. In the mirrored, revolving room above, Swing, Tango, Salsa—all dances continue to whisper fragile hope: the body may perish, but life itself cannot be defeated. Dance here has become a form of resistance: against forgetting, against the passage of time, against the forces that render life small. Clärchens Ballhaus holds countless personal histories—Berliners who have danced here from childhood to old age, lovers who first met on its floor, friends reunited, couples bound for life.
Today’s Experience
Located near Hackescher Markt, Clärchens Ballhaus has been a restaurant and ballroom for over 110 years. The ground-floor restaurant remains open daily, and reservations are recommended. On pleasant days, guests can enjoy a meal or a drink in the outdoor rose garden. The second-floor Mirror Hall opens for dances and events, hosting a variety of weekly dance nights. For those who don’t dance—or simply prefer to observe—guided tours are available, offering stories about the ballroom’s past, with cake served at the end. Event schedules and ticket information can always be found on the official Clärchens Ballhaus website.
Additionally, the newly opened restaurant Luna D’oro, created after the ballroom’s renovation, offers a modern take on traditional German cuisine. Inspired by the 1920s, its menu shares some similarities with the classic Trio restaurant but is more expansive, presenting a contemporary reinterpretation of German culinary traditions.
Reservations are recommended for the ground-floor restaurant.
Located near Hackescher Markt, Clärchens Ballhaus has been a restaurant and ballroom for over 110 years. The ground-floor restaurant remains open daily, and reservations are recommended. On pleasant days, guests can enjoy a meal or a drink in the outdoor rose garden. The second-floor Mirror Hall opens for dances and events, hosting a variety of weekly dance nights. For those who don’t dance—or simply prefer to observe—guided tours are available, offering stories about the ballroom’s past, with cake served at the end. Event schedules and ticket information can always be found on the official Clärchens Ballhaus website.
Additionally, the newly opened restaurant Luna D’oro, created after the ballroom’s renovation, offers a modern take on traditional German cuisine. Inspired by the 1920s, its menu shares some similarities with the classic Trio restaurant but is more expansive, presenting a contemporary reinterpretation of German culinary traditions.
Reservations are recommended for the ground-floor restaurant.
Address
Auguststraße 24/25, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Website
https://www.claerchensball.haus/
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